Starting Monday I’m Going to the Gym
Being realistic is what is going to save you on the days when you just can’t drag yourself to the gym.
By Chris Fraser
We all know someone that swears every month that they are going to get into shape "starting Monday" or "right after the holidays." This happens to be the very same person that gets an order of fries to go with the pizza they just ordered at 9 p.m. They also have a foolproof plan for said transformation. Starting Monday, wake up at 3 a.m., jog 16 miles, eat broccoli for dinner every night, and hit the weights every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This plan is great, but the problem is that it’s unrealistic -- and it's going to last about as long as Ashley Simpson’s music career.
If you want to really start living a healthy lifestyle there are two major factors that are stronger than pure will and determination: healthy self-image and realistic goals. Healthy self-image is very important because, unfortunately, we’re not built like hermit crabs that can just move out of their shell when they want to change how they look. I want abs like Brad Pitt, but my build is short and stubby so it’s probably not going to happen, regardless of how many Ab Rollers I buy. Should I cry every time I watch Fight Club? Getting yourself into shape is about sculpting your body to its peak, not shedding it for a new one. If you beat yourself up over and over again because you can’t fit into a pair of jeans you will fail. Everyone knows what their healthy zone is, and if it makes you cry because you won’t make the cover of Vogue, you better invest in an airbrush -- not a gym membership.
Being realistic is what is going to save you on the days when you just can’t drag yourself to the gym. I like to throw down a beer once in a while, so since I’m trying to start a healthy lifestyle should I never have one? No! But can I go binge drinking with the boys every Friday? Not a great idea -- you can’t have it both ways. If you have to eat that burger on the run, do you really need the cheese, fries, and coke? Do you have to eat two bowls? Is it really that far that you can’t walk? This is being realistic. You have to start somewhere and that means starting small and working up. Personally, when I decided enough was enough and didn’t feel like I was living to my potential, healthwise, I started by walking on the treadmill three times a week and giving up cheese, and all carbonated, sugary drinks. It’s not jogging at 3 a.m., but it’s a start.
Every New Year brings a new crop into gyms everywhere, and you know what I mean if you’ve spent any time in the gym -- out-of-shape resolutioners everywhere, signing up for the Body Pump class because they want a six pack in two months. Start off small, be patient, and focus on being healthy -- not just looking good -- and the transformation will start before you know it. And don’t wait until Monday, like Chuck Palahniuk said, "this is your life and it’s ending one minute at a time."
It’s sad that many people who join the gym in January don’t seem to last more than a few weeks. Going to the gym is never easy at first. It took me a good 6-7 months to stop “dragging” myself to the gym and actually look forward to going. If I had given up that early, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I do today! And I don’t feel bad now if I do have an off night, where I’m just too tired, or too cold, or want to drink a bottle of wine instead
— because I know it’s just one night, and the next night I’ll be back on track.
I’ll be glad when the gym clears out again in another week or two - there’s nothing worse than waiting for an elliptical!